Earths Resources - Essay Example

The World’s Resources are Limited and Its Population Growth Unsustainable Introduction The earth is an essential habitat for biodiversity. All creatures that have life live for survival, and the earth provides the resources needed to sustain them. However, these resources are limited, and the world population is rapidly increasing. People need to find ways to attain sustainability. The scarcity of resources plus the unsustainable population growth can surely affect the future generations. Thus, there is an increasing need to control population growth and to efficiently use available resources. Limited Resources The earth provides plenty of natural resources for the survival of all humankind. Because people live on earth, protecting the natural environment and the efficient use of scarce resources are their ultimate responsibilities to become sustainable. Notably, the place where people live in is also the ultimate source of their basic needs for survival. Moreover, six natural resources—oil, coal, natural gas, water, phosphorus and rare earth elements— have consumption rates that are already under extreme pressure and are believed to have an inevitable surge in demand in the future (Ruz, 2011). Fossil fuels are among the finite resources that are heavily exploited by people in the surface of the earth for commercial use. According to Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) (2014, pp.22-23), as of 2013, the world had a total of 1,489,865 million barrels of crude oil reserves and 200,363 billion standard cu m of natural gas reserves. Moreover, coal has the largest reserves remained of all fossil fuels, but developing countries such as China continue to increase demand for coal, which could eventually outpace supply (Ruz, 2011). Notably, coal is predicted to reach its limits of supply in the 2070-80 (“Earth’s Resources are Limited,” 2012, p.13). Furthermore, only few countries, such as China, the United States and Morocco, have proven reserves of Phosphorus, and in just a half of a decade (or a decade), scientists predict that the world would run out of supply (Ruz, 2011). Fresh water is also dwindling due to destruction of river systems arising from damming rivers (“Earth’s Resources are Limited,” 2012, p.13). It must be noted that it only makes up to 2.5% of the overall volume of the water in the planet, but because 70% of it comes from ice or permanent snow cover, people can only access about 0.01% of freshwater (Ruz, 2011). According to Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) (2013) of the United Nations, 1,800 million people will reside in nations or areas with total water shortage due to rapid increase of urban areas, which depend primarily on neighbor’s water resources. Furthermore, two of the 17 rare earth elements—scandium and terbium—are exploited because it can be used as powerful magnets and electronic circuits. However, almost a hundred percent of the world’s supply comes from China, and its supplies are restricted (Ruz, 2011). From these perspectives, it can be noted that the world has limited resources. Given the scarcity of natural resources, demand for consumption is, therefore, a major problem that needs to be resolved in the long-run. Population Growth According to World Bank (2014), the total population of the world is 7.1 billion as of 2013. As outlined by John Guillebaud (2014), Professor from University College London, humankind has reached a phase where the level of resources necessary to sustain the population exceeds to what is considered available. From this perspective, it can be said that population growth is unsustainable. In terms of human numbers, the average family size or total fertility rate of the world is good news. From over five since 1950, it has halved to approximately 2.5 (Guillebaud, 2014). Given this statistical data, it can be said that the population of the world is still in control. However, despite this reality, 58 nations with the highest fertility rates are predicted to increase their numbers triple by the year 2100 (Guillebaud, 2014). Due to this, the United Nations alerts that world population—now over 7 billion—has already reached the phase where the level of resources necessary to sustain it is greater than what is considered available (Guillebaud, 2014). Annual population increases by up to 80 million, and this can be associated to a city with 1.5 million residents that have to be constructed once a week (Guillebaud, 2014). According to Worldwide Fund for Nature, world population has already consumed about 20% of its resources, and by 2050, people need to consume 100% more of the world’s overall biological capacity, such as fisheries, forestry, etc. (Lin-Heng, et al., 2010). Given this, if world population continues to increase in the long run, it can be said that the earth can no longer provide sufficient resources to sustain it, and this will cause affliction, hunger and death. Limited Resources to Satisfy Unlimited Needs and Wants There is no absolute way to sustaining the earth’s limited resources except to educate people about its nature, scarcity and the alternative solutions that sustain its availability. Environmental protection policies, coupled with human efforts, such as the use of energy-efficient products can help to sustain the natural resources (“Wither They Resources,” 2014). Local and international governments should work hand-in-hand to support industries to arrive at the most cost effective and efficient technologies (“Wither Thy Resources,” 2014). . It must be noted that people play a major role in attaining sustainability. People should also be educated about family planning, efficient use of energy and other activities related to sustainability to control population growth and the use of resources. Conclusion The earth has limited resources. Six natural resources, including oil, coal, natural gas, water, phosphorus and rare earth elements, are heavily exploited, and modern scientists projected that the world population will reach its limits of supply—unsustainable future. As of the present, the world population is seven billion and still growing. Local governments and international organisations must support industries to utilise cost effective and efficient technologies, educate the people about family planning, provide the market with cost efficient products and services and establish worldwide campaign that protects the natural environment and control the rapid population growth. In this way, equity in the relationship between limited resources and unlimited needs and wants can be sustained. References Earth’s resources are limited: world’s population depends on exploiting dwindling reserves. 2012. The Gympie Times, 4 Aug. p. 13. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), 2013. Hot issues: water scarcity. [internet] Available at: http://www.fao.org/nr/water/issues/scarcity.html [Accessed 27 November 2014]. Guillebaud, J., 2014. There are not enough resources to support the world’s population. ABC News, [internet] 10 June. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/there-are-not-enough-resources-to-support-the-worlds-population/5511900 [Accessed 27 November 2014]. Lin-Heng, L. et al., 2010. Sustainability matters; environmental management in Asia. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), 2014. OPEC: Annual Statistical Bulletin, Vienna, Austria: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Ruz, C., 2011. The six natural resources most drained by our 7 billion people. The Guardian, [internet] 31 October. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2011/oct/31/six-natural-resources-population [Accessed 27 November 2014]. Wither they resources. 2014. The Nation, [internet] 27 November. Available at: http://nation.com.pk/columns/27-Nov-2014/wither-thy-resources [Accessed 27 November 2014]. World Bank, 2014. Population, total. [internet] Available at: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL/countries?display=graph [Accessed 27 November 2014]. Read More